Managing connections in a wireless communications network

Abstract

A method of managing connections in a mobile communications network, the method comprising: transmitting over a connection from a network entity to a mobile device natural traffic and keepalive messages at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; at the mobile device, monitoring receipt of natural traffic and keepalive messages, and in the event of inadequate natural traffic and missing keepalive messages, closing the connection; and dynamically adjusting the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of keepalive messages from the network entity so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages.

1. A method comprising:
 causing transmission of natural traffic and keepalive messages over a connection from a network entity to a mobile device at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; and 
 dynamically adjusting, using information relating to a channel used to transport the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of the keepalive messages from the network entity so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the keepalive parameter is an interval between the keepalive messages and wherein the information relating to the channel comprises information on at least one previous keepalive parameter that was compatible with the channel. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 selecting a first interval when the connection is first established; 
 causing establishment of a new connection when the connection has been closed; and 
 selecting a second interval for transmission of the keepalive messages over the new connection. 
 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 causing transmission of the first and second intervals to the network entity. 
 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing establishment of an additional keepalive connection for conveying only keepalive messages being monitored to determine the minimum frequency of the keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the dynamically adjusting of the at least one keepalive parameter comprises reducing the interval (i) to a new interval (inew) where inew=r.i, where r is less than 1. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the dynamically adjusting of the at least one keepalive parameter is implemented. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a tuple [i, m] of keepalive settings for the at least one keepalive parameter including an interval (i) between the keepalive messages and a maximum latency (m). 
 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 dynamically adjusting the maximum latency. 
 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 using a default tuple when the connection is first established. 
 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 selecting a new tuple when a new connection is made after the connection has been closed. 
 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 selecting a new tuple when a keepalive message is to be transmitted. 
 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 causing the tuple to be conveyed with a keepalive message. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus, comprising:
 means for causing establishment of a connection with a mobile device; 
 means for causing transmission of keepalive messages over the connection at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; and 
 means for dynamically adjusting, using information relating to a channel used to transport the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of the keepalive messages from the network entity so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is caused to receive information from the mobile device identifying a required setting for the at least one keepalive parameter. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is caused to execute a connectivity algorithm which determines keepalive settings or said at least one keepalive parameter. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said wherein the information relating to the channel comprises information on at least one previous keepalive parameter that was compatible with the channel. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an internet server. 
 
     
     
       19. A network, comprising:
 a network entity comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the network entity at least to: 
 cause transmission of natural traffic and keepalive messages to a mobile device, the keepalive messages being at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter, and 
 dynamically adjust, using information relating to a channel used to transport the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of keepalive messages so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages; and 
 the mobile device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the mobile device at least to: 
 monitor receipt of the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, and cause the connection to be closed upon detection of inadequate natural traffic and missing keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       20. A method comprising:
 causing establishment of a connection with a mobile device; 
 causing transmission of keepalive messages over the connection at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; and 
 dynamically adjusting, using information relating to a channel used to transport the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of the keepalive messages so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of the keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program configured to cause an apparatus to:
 cause establishment of a connection with a mobile device; 
 cause transmission of keepalive messages over the connection at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; and 
 dynamically adjust, using information relating to a channel used to transport the natural traffic and the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of the keepalive messages so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of the keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       22. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the apparatus at least to:
 cause establishment of a connection with a mobile device via the mobile communications network; 
 cause transmission of keepalive messages over the connection at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; and 
 dynamically adjust, using information relating to a channel used to transport the keepalive messages, the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of the keepalive messages so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of the keepalive messages. 
 
     
     
       23. The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the computer program is further configured to cause the apparatus to establish a tuple [i,m] of keepalive settings for the at least one keepalive parameter including an interval (i) between the keepalive messages and a maximum latency (m). 
     
     
       24. The computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the computer program is further configured to cause the apparatus to dynamically adjust the maximum latency.